The present invention generally relates to a convertible, mobile apparatus for outdoor use, and particularly, to a convertible, mobile fireplace or heat containment assembly for home or personal entertainment purposes. More particularly, the invention is directed to a mobile fireplace or fire pit assembly that is convertible to a cooker, such as a grill and/or meat smoker, and in one embodiment utilizing as a basic component of the cooker the fireplace assembly. Advantageously, the present invention permits the user to readily, easily and safely convert from one type of use to another without inadvertently contacting and/or extinguishing the heat source while making the conversion.
Recently, many homes have included into their design or remodel an outdoor living space. Such outdoor living spaces typically include at least one of an outdoor fire place or fire pit and a barbecue grill for cooking various foods, such as meats and vegetables. In some instances, such outdoor living space will include both. Fixed outdoor fireplaces generally are constructed of hardscape materials such as stone or brick and are limited as to where they are placed with respect to the proximity of the home and, as one would expect, become permanent and fixed with regard to where it is placed.
Portable outdoor fireplaces have recently entered the market place. Generally, the size of a portable outdoor fireplace is compact, relative to a fixed fireplace, and their structure is such that the portable outdoor fireplace can be readily and easily moved from one location to another either alone or with the assistance of at least one other individual.
Barbecue grills are also available in a variety of types, sizes and shapes. Such grills can utilize charcoal or a gas, natural or propane, as a heat source. Small grills can be used on a table top such as a picnic table, while larger grills generally have integrated into their design wheels, legs and a stand or have a cart assembly that supports them at a comfortable height convenient for cooking food. Some units may have two to four wheels that make unit mobile by an individual.
Meat smokers have recently been introduced into the market that allow an individual to prepare meats that are cooked via a smoking process. Generally, such meat smokers cook the meat at a much lower temperature than a barbecue grill and allow for a greater control of the cooking temperature. Since smoking meat requires a lower heat, longer cooking times are required, sometimes ranging into hours of cooking time. Thus, a meat smoker must address cooking issues that are absent from a typical barbecue grill, such as the addition of fuel and/or flavor chips into the cooker during the smoking process.
Although these types of outdoor appliances are very popular, many consumers prefer to own one or another, but not all three. For some, limited space for using the appliance or storage is the issue, for others the cost. Others may not want to have a substantial portion of their patio or green space occupied by different appliances. Yet another problem is for people who enjoy camping. They may consider taking a fire pit or a grill but will not take both due to space limitations in transporting the appliances and at the camp site.
One could use a fire pit as a cooking grill, but doing so has its disadvantages. For one thing, a fire pit typically has screened sidewalls to contain sparks and embers from leaving the confined space. In many cases, to place food on a grid for cooking, turning or removing when cooked would require the user to reach over the sidewalls; exposing the user to heat, smoke and air borne debris, such as small particles of ash. Secondly, with screened side walls controlling the air flow and heat generation is difficult and presents problems of flare-ups and uneven cooking. This can result in the surface of the food becoming charred but not having the food's interior not reaching a temperature that is safe for consumption, particularly in the case of meat. Yet another problem with using a fire pit as a cooking grill is that the fire pit typically has a low fire bowl for easy viewing of the fire, it is not at a convenient height for cooking. Constant stooping and bending over would be required for food tending. The shallow bowl holding the heat source would also require frequent turning of the food to prevent burning.
Conversely, one could use a cooking grill as fire pit, but this too has its disadvantages. Generally, most cooking grills are at a height that is convenient for cooking and have a bowl deep enough for holding the heat source at an appropriate distance from the food to prevent rapid overexposure and charring of the food. When a traditional grill is used for a fire, those sitting around the fire are not able to watch it very well because the fire sits deep in the bowl. Moreover, when grill is used as a fireplace or fire pit, the lid of the grill must be removed if the fire is to be viewed thereby loosing any heat that could have been directed toward users.
Although there have been attempts to address the problems associated with different uses of a single device, many retain the issues discussed above, such as lack of mobility, inadvertence to contacting the fire, and little or no control over the heat and air intake if used as a fire pit and then a grill to cook food. For example, U.S. Pat. Publication 2005/01265556 discloses a convertible outdoor firepit and cooking grill. The device includes an adjustable pedestal so a user can adjust the height of the bowl depending upon the device's intended use and removable side walls. The lid is configured so that it will engage both the lower bowl in a grill formation or the removable sidewalls in a fire pit configuration. However, the device is not mobile, and adjusting the telescopic pedestal with a fire in operation is dangerous and presents an opportunity for a user to inadvertently come in contact with the heat source, particularly when changing from one use to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,834 discloses a portable outdoor fireplace having a convertible grill feature. The device has a concave top and bottom members and a fire screen in between. The fire screen has a pair of horizontal support rings and vertical columns which cooperate to define a cylindrical configuration in which multiple screen panels are supported. One of the fire panels is removable from the screen position and adapted to be inserted into the cylindrical frame to form a grilling surface for cooking. The grill portion is mountable in the frame member in only a few positions, low, medium, and high, thereby limiting the available cooking positions of the grill tray. Another problem with this design is that there is not means for controlling the heat or air to the fire when used as a grill which can cause the food to become charred on the outside and undercooked on the inside. Additionally, when one of the screen panels is used as a grilling surface a large portion of the fire is open, exposing the user to inadvertent contact with fire, embers and/or ash particularly when wood is used as a heat source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,298 discloses a portable outdoor fireplace with a screen assembly that is convertible into a cooking grill. The device has a top and a bottom cover members and a fire screen assembly extending vertically between the two cover members. The fire screen assembly has a pair of horizontal support rings and vertical columns which cooperate to define a cylindrical frame in which supports the screen panels between the two cover members. The frame further includes an entrance to the fire bowl by having one or more screen doors which are hinge-mounted to the frame. A separate cooking grate is insertable into the fireplace and held at a pre-selected horizontal orientation by a series of grill supports. The grill supports extend from the frame and from the screen door so that the cooking grate may be supported at different locations within the fireplace.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,788 discloses a collapsible, portable outdoor fireplace that is convertible to a cooking grill. The outdoor fireplace has a top and a bottom cover members and a fire screen assembly extending vertically between the two cover members. The fire screen assembly is easily broken down into its constituent parts which are then stored between the top and bottom cover members. When converted to a cooking grill, the cooking grate is supported above the base member by a series of tabs formed on the fire screen assembly posts.
A problem with the design of the '298 and '788 devices is that there is not means for controlling the heat or air to the fire when used as a grill which can cause the food to become charred on the outside and undercooked on the inside. Additionally, when the device is used as a cooking grill the cooking grate is so low that the user must stoop or bend over to tend to the food.
Accordingly, there is still a need for a portable fireplace that can be easily converted to a cooker, such as grill or smoker, that allows the user to easily and safely convert from one use to a different use without sacrificing or compromising the functionality of the intended use.